Integrated circuit with

Abstract

To provide a procedure for saving power in user equipment.SOLUTION: The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit that transmits a power saving signal (PoSS) to a UE camping on a BS, the PoSS including a behavior indication that instructs the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, the PoSS further including a configuration indication that indicates a configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior, the integrated circuit including: The PoSS is generated to cause the UE to perform PDCCH monitoring if the first behavior is indicated, skip PDCCH monitoring if the second behavior is indicated, and apply the configuration parameter, wherein the PoSS is transmitted as DCI, wherein the behavior indication and the configuration indication are jointly encoded in a common field of the DCI, wherein the jointly encoded behavior indication is to skip PDCCH monitoring, and wherein the configuration indication is an indication on CSI.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit for controlling a base station (BS) in a communication system, such as a 3GPP communication system. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP®) is working on technical specifications for the next generation of cellular technology, also known as the fifth generation (5G).

[0003] One objective is to provide a single technical framework that addresses all usage scenarios, requirements, and deployment scenarios, including at least enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), and massive machine-type communications (mMTC) (see, e.g., Section 6 of TR 38.913 Version 15.0.0, incorporated herein by reference). For example, deployment scenarios for eMBB may include indoor hotspots, dense urban areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and high-speed areas. Deployment scenarios for URLLC may include industrial control systems, mobile health management (remote monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment), real-time control of vehicles, and wide-area monitoring and control systems for smart grids. Deployment scenarios for mMTC may include scenarios using a large number of devices with low-latency data transmission, such as smart wearables and sensor networks. eMBB and URLLC services are similar in that they both require very high bandwidth, but differ in that URLLC services may preferably require very low latency.

[0004] A second objective is to achieve forward compatibility: backward compatibility to Long Term Evolution (LTE, LTE-A) cellular systems is not required, which facilitates the introduction of entirely new system designs and / or new features. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The non-limiting exemplary embodiments contribute to providing improved procedures for conserving power in user equipment.

[0006] In one general example, the technology disclosed herein features a user equipment (UE) including: a receiver configured to receive, during operation, a power saving signal (PoSS) from a serving base station to which the UE is camped; and UE-side processing circuitry configured to monitor reception of the PoSS during operation to determine a UE behavior with respect to processing of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), the PoSS including a behavior indication instructing the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, the PoSS further including a configuration indication instructing at least one configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior, the UE-side processing circuitry configured to determine, during operation, to perform PDCCH monitoring if the first behavior is indicated and to skip PDCCH monitoring if the second behavior is indicated, and apply the at least one configuration parameter accordingly.

[0007] In one general example, the technology disclosed herein features a method including the following steps performed by a UE: receiving a Power Save Signal (PoSS) from a serving base station to which the UE is camped; and monitoring reception of the PoSS to determine a UE behavior with respect to processing a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), wherein the PoSS includes a behavior instruction instructing the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, and the PoSS further includes a configuration instruction instructing at least one configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior, and wherein a processing circuit determines to perform PDCCH monitoring if the first behavior is indicated and to skip PDCCH monitoring if the second behavior is indicated, and applies the at least one configuration parameter accordingly.

[0008] In one general example, the technology disclosed herein features a base station (BS), comprising: a transmitter configured, during operation, to transmit a power saving signal (PoSS) to at least one user equipment (UE) camped on the BS; and BS-side processing circuitry configured, during operation, to generate the PoSS, the PoSS including a behavior instruction instructing the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, the PoSS further including a configuration instruction instructing at least one configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior, the PoSS being generated to cause the UE to perform PDCCH monitoring if the first behavior is indicated, and to skip PDCCH monitoring if the second behavior is indicated and apply the at least one configuration parameter accordingly.

[0009] It should be noted that the general or specific embodiments may be realized as a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, a storage medium, or any combination thereof.

[0010] Further benefits and advantages of the disclosed embodiments and various implementations will become apparent from the specification and drawings. These benefits and / or advantages may be obtained individually by the various embodiments and features of the specification and drawings. However, not all of these features need be present to obtain one or more of such benefits and / or advantages. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] In the following, exemplary embodiments are explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an example architecture for a 3GPP NR system. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary user and control plane architecture for LTE eNB, gNB, and UE. [Figure 3] Figure 1 shows messages exchanged between a gNB and a UE when performing a power saving procedure using PoSS. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary simplified configuration of a UE and a gNB. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a UE according to an exemplary implementation of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a flow diagram of UE behavior according to an exemplary embodiment; [Figure 7] 1 is a flow diagram of UE behavior according to another exemplary embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is a timing diagram for UE behavior according to an exemplary embodiment of a first behavior; [Figure 9] 10 is a timing diagram for UE behavior according to an exemplary embodiment of a second behavior; [Figure 10] FIG. 1 illustrates a DCI configuration according to an exemplary implementation of the first solution. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 illustrates a DCI configuration according to another exemplary embodiment of the first solution. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 illustrates a DCI configuration according to an exemplary implementation of the second solution. [Figure 13]FIG. 1 illustrates a DCI configuration according to another exemplary embodiment of the second solution. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 illustrates a DCI configuration according to an exemplary embodiment of the third solution. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 illustrates a DCI configuration according to another exemplary embodiment of the third solution. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] (5G NR system architecture and protocol stack) 3GPP is working on the next release of fifth-generation cellular technology, simply referred to as 5G, which involves the development of a new radio access technology (NR) operating in the frequency range up to 100 GHz. 3GPP must identify and develop the technical elements necessary to successfully standardize an NR system that meets both immediate market needs and longer-term requirements in a timely manner. To accomplish this, evolution of the air interface and radio network architecture is being considered in the study item "New Radio Access Technology." Results and agreements are collected in Technical Report TR38.804 v14.0.0, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0013] Among other things, the overall system architecture assumes an NG-RAN (Next Generation - Radio Access Network) including gNBs, which provide the NG-Radio Access User Plane (SDAP / PDCP / RLC / MAC / PHY) and Control Plane (RRC) protocol termination towards the UEs. The gNBs are interconnected with each other by an Xn interface. The gNBs are also connected to the NGC (Next Generation Core) by a Next Generation (NG) interface, more specifically to the AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function) (e.g., a specific core entity running the AMF) by an NG-C interface, and to the UPF (User Plane Function) (e.g., a specific core entity running the UPF) by an NG-U interface. The NG-RAN architecture is shown in Figure 1 (see, e.g., 3GPP TS38.300 v15.2.0, Section 4, incorporated herein by reference).

[0014] Various different deployment scenarios may be supported (see, for example, 3GPP TR38.801 v14.0.0, which is incorporated herein by reference). For example, a decentralized deployment scenario (see, for example, Section 5.2 of TR38.801; a centralized deployment is shown in Section 5.4) is presented therein, in which base stations supporting 5G NR may be deployed. Figure 2 illustrates an exemplary decentralized deployment scenario (see, for example, Figure 5.2.-1 of TR38.801), additionally illustrating an LTE eNB and user equipment (UE) connected to both a gNB and an LTE eNB. The new eNB for NR 5G may illustratively be referred to as a gNB. An eLTE eNB is an evolved version of an eNB that supports connections to an EPC (Evolved Packet Core) and an NGC (Next Generation Core).

[0015] The user plane protocol stack for NR (see, e.g., 3GPP TS38.300 v15.2.0, Section 4.4.1, incorporated herein by reference) includes PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol, see Section 6.4 of TS38.300), RLC (Radio Link Control, see Section 6.3 of TS38.300), and MAC (Medium Access Control, see Section 6.2 of TS38.300) sublayers, which terminate at the gNB on the network side. Furthermore, a new access stratum (AS) sublayer (SDAP (Service Data Adaptation Protocol)) is introduced on top of PDCP (see, e.g., 3GPP TS38.300 v15.2.0, incorporated herein by reference). A control plane protocol stack is also defined for NR (see, e.g., TS38.300, Section 4.4.2). An overview of Layer 2 functionality is given in Section 6 of TS38.300. The functions of the PDCP, RLC and MAC sublayers are listed in Sections 6.4, 6.3 and 6.2 of TS38.300, respectively. The functions of the RRC layer are listed in Section 7 of TS38.300. The above sections of TS38.300 are incorporated herein by reference.

[0016] For example, the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer handles logical channel multiplexing and scheduling and scheduling-related functions, including handling various numerologies.

[0017] For the physical layer, the MAC layer uses services in the form of transport channels. A transport channel can be defined by how information is transmitted over the radio interface and with what characteristics the information is transmitted. A random access channel (RACH) is also defined as a transport channel that does not carry transport blocks but is handled by the MAC. One of the procedures supported by the MAC layer is the random access procedure.

[0018] The physical layer (PHY) is responsible for, for example, coding, PHY HARQ processing, modulation, multi-antenna processing, and mapping of signals to appropriate physical time-frequency resources. The physical layer also handles mapping of transport channels to physical channels. The physical layer provides services to the MAC layer in the form of transport channels. A physical channel corresponds to a set of time-frequency resources used for the transmission of a particular transport channel, and each transport channel is mapped to a corresponding physical channel. One physical channel is the PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel), which is used for random access.

[0019] Use cases / deployment scenarios for NR can include enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC), and massive machine-type communications (mMTC), which have diverse requirements in terms of data rate, latency, and coverage. For example, eMBB is expected to support peak data rates (20 Gbps in the downlink and 10 Gbps in the uplink) and user-perceived data rates on the order of three times those offered by IMT-Advanced. On the other hand, URLLC requires ultra-low latency (user plane latency of 0.5 ms in UL and DL, respectively) and high reliability (1-10 ms within 1 ms). -5 Finally, mMTC is preferably designed for high connection density (1 km in urban environments). 2 These may require high throughput (1,000,000 devices per second), wide coverage in harsh environments, and extremely long battery life (15 years) for low-cost devices.

[0020] Therefore, OFDM numerology (e.g., subcarrier spacing, OFDM symbol duration, cyclic prefix (CP) duration, number of symbols per scheduling interval) suitable for one use case may not work well for another use case. For example, low-latency services may preferably require a shorter symbol duration (and therefore a larger subcarrier spacing) and / or fewer symbols per scheduling interval (also known as TTI) than mMTC services. Furthermore, deployment scenarios with large channel delay spreads may preferably require a longer CP duration than scenarios with short delay spreads. To maintain similar CP overhead, subcarrier spacing should be optimized accordingly. NR can support multiple values ​​of subcarrier spacing. Correspondingly, subcarrier spacings of 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz, etc. are currently being considered. The symbol duration Tu and subcarrier spacing Δf are directly related through the equation Δf = 1 / Tu. Similar to LTE systems, the term "resource element" may be used to denote the smallest resource unit consisting of one subcarrier for the length of one OFDM / SC-FDMA symbol.

[0021] In the new radio system 5G-NR, for each numerology and carrier, a resource grid consisting of subcarriers and OFDM symbols is defined for the uplink and downlink, respectively. Each element in the resource grid is called a resource element and is identified based on a frequency index in the frequency domain and a symbol position in the time domain (see 3GPP TS38.211 v15.2.0, which is incorporated herein by reference).

[0022] (Control signaling / PDCCH / DCI / search space) The main purpose of DCI (Downlink Control Information) in 5G NR is the same as DCI in LTE, i.e., a set of special information for scheduling downlink data channels (e.g., PDSCH) or uplink data channels (e.g., PUSCH). In 5G NR, several different DCI formats are defined (see, for example, TS38.212 v15.2.0 Section 7.3.1, which is incorporated herein by reference). An overview is given by the following table: [Table 1]

[0023] The PDCCH search space is a region in the downlink resource grid (time-frequency resources) that can carry the PDCCH (DCI). In a broad sense, the radio resource region is used by a base station to transmit control information in the downlink to one or more UEs. The UE performs blind decoding through the search space in an attempt to find the PDCCH data (DCI). Conceptually, the search space concept in 5G NR is similar to the LTE search space, although there are many differences in the details.

[0024] (Synchronization signal block measurement timing setting (SMTC)-PSS / SSS,PBCH) NR introduces so-called synchronization signal blocks (SS blocks (SSBs)), which include a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH). The PSS and SSS can be used by UEs to discover, synchronize to, and identify networks. The PBCH carries minimal system information, including an indication of where the remaining broadcast system information is transmitted.

[0025] In LTE, these three signals, PSS, SSS, and PBCH, were also used, but not as part of one SSB. In NR, these three components of an SSB are always transmitted together, e.g., they have the same period. A given SSB may be repeated within an SS burst set, which may potentially be used for gNB beam sweeping transmissions. The SS burst set may be limited to a specific period (e.g., a 5 ms window). During initial cell selection, the UE may assume a default period of 20 ms for the SS burst set.

[0026] The 5G NR PSS is a physical layer specific signal for identifying radio frame boundaries and is a type of m-sequence. The 5G NR SSS is a physical layer specific signal for identifying subframe boundaries and is also an m-sequence (see, for example, TS38.211 v15.2.0 Section 7.4.2, which is incorporated herein by reference).

[0027] (reference signal) Similar to LTE, several different types of reference signals (RS) are used in 5G NR (see 3GPP TS38.211 v15.3.0 Section 7.4.1, which is incorporated herein by reference). In 5G NR, at least the following reference signals are available: CSI-RS (Channel State Information Reference Signal) can be used for channel state information acquisition and beam management PDSCH DMRS (demodulation reference signal) that can be used for PDSCH demodulation PDCCH DMRS (Demodulation Reference Signal) that can be used for PDCCH demodulation PBCH DMRS (Demodulation Reference Signal) that can be used for PBCH demodulation PTRS (Phase Tracking Reference Signal) that can be used for PDSCH phase tracking Tracking reference signal that can be used for time tracking

[0028] Furthermore, the PBCH DMRS may illustratively be considered to be part of the SSB reference signal (see 3GPP TS38.215 v15.3.0 Section 5.1.1 "SS reference signal received power (SS-RSRP)").

[0029] The main differences between reference signals in a 5G NR communication system and those in LTE are that in 5G NR, there are no cell-specific reference signals; a new reference signal, PTRS, is introduced for time / phase tracking; DMRS is introduced for both downlink and uplink channels; and in NR, reference signals are transmitted only when necessary.

[0030] As a DL-only signal, the CSI-RS received by the UE is used to estimate the channel and report channel quality information to the gNB. During MIMO operation, NR can use different antenna approaches based on the carrier frequency. At low frequencies, the system uses a smaller number of active antennas for MU-MIMO and adds FDD operation. In this case, the UE can use the CSI-RS to calculate CSI and report CSI in the UL direction. The CSI-RS can be further characterized according to the following: This is used for DL ​​CSI acquisition. Used for RSRP measurements during mobility and beam management. Also used for frequency / time tracking, demodulation, and UL reciprocity-based precoding. · CSI-RS is configured specifically for a UE, but multiple users may share the same resource. The 5G NR standard allows a high level of flexibility in CSI-RS configuration, with resources configurable for up to 32 ports. The CSI-RS resource can start from any OFDM symbol in the slot and typically occupies 1 / 2 / 4 OFDM symbols depending on the number of ports configured. · CSI-RS can be periodic, semi-persistent or aperiodic (due to DCI triggers). For time / frequency tracking, the CSI-RS can be either periodic or aperiodic: it is transmitted in bursts of 2 or 4 symbols spread over 1 or 2 slots.

[0031] (Quasi-Collocation (QCL) concept) The quasi-co-location (QCL) concept is utilized in LTE and NR and can be simply explained as follows: if two signals are QCL, this means that the UE can assume the same receive / transmit parameters in large-scale channel parameters (e.g., Doppler shift, Doppler spread, mean delay, delay spread, spatial receive parameters, and beam direction), which helps to improve channel estimation and receive performance.

[0032] As mentioned above, conventionally, a UE performs PDCCH monitoring and blind decoding when it is not necessarily required, thereby consuming energy unnecessarily.

[0033] Therefore, the inventors have identified the possibility of reducing the cost for PDCCH monitoring and blind decoding by providing a power saving signal (PoSS) that can trigger the UE to monitor the PDCCH or instruct the UE to skip PDCCH monitoring until a predetermined time. When the UE skips PDCCH monitoring, the UE active time can be reduced, which saves power. As shown in FIG. 3, the base station transmits a PoSS to the UE, which can generally cause the UE to follow two different behaviors. In the first behavior, shown on the left side of FIG. 3, the PoSS instructs the UE to monitor the PDCCH. In this case, the UE receives the PDCCH and returns a scheduled transmission according to the received PDCCH. On the other hand, if the PoSS instructs the UE to follow the second behavior, the UE skips monitoring the PDCCH, as shown schematically on the right side of FIG. 3. Therefore, the gNB does not transmit the PDCCH to the UE. Even if the PDCCH is transmitted, the UE cannot receive it.

[0034] In the following, UEs, base stations, and procedures that meet these needs are described for new radio access technologies envisioned for 5G mobile communication systems, but may also be used in LTE mobile communication systems. Various implementations and variations are also described. The following disclosure is facilitated by, and may be based, for example, at least in part on, the above discussion and findings.

[0035] In general, it should be noted that many assumptions have been made herein to enable a clear and understandable description of the principles underlying the present disclosure. However, these assumptions should be understood as merely examples made herein for illustrative purposes that should not limit the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the principles of the following disclosure, as set forth in the claims, may be applied to different scenarios and in ways not explicitly described herein.

[0036] Furthermore, even though the specific terminology used in the context of new radio access technologies for upcoming 3GPP 5G communication systems has not yet been fully determined, some of the terms used below, such as procedures, entities, and layers, are closely related to the terms used in the current standardization of LTE / LTE-A systems or 3GPP 5G. Therefore, the terminology may be changed in the future without affecting the functionality of the embodiments. As a result, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments and their scope of protection should not be limited to the specific terminology illustratively used herein due to the lack of newer or ultimately agreed-upon terms, but should be more broadly understood with respect to the functions and ideas underlying the functions and principles of the present disclosure.

[0037] For example, a mobile station or mobile node or user terminal or user equipment (UE) is a physical entity (physical node) in a communication network. A node may have multiple functional entities. A functional entity refers to a software or hardware module that performs a predetermined set of functions and / or provides the predetermined set of functions to other functional entities of the same node or another node or network. A node may have one or more interfaces that connect the node to a communication facility or medium over which the node can communicate. Similarly, a network entity may have logical interfaces that connect a functional entity to a communication facility or medium over which it can communicate with other functional entities or corresponding nodes.

[0038] Here, the term "base station" or "radio base station" refers to a physical entity in a communication network. Similar to a mobile station, a base station may have multiple functional entities. A functional entity refers to a software or hardware module that performs a predetermined set of functions and / or provides a predetermined set of functions to other functional entities of the same node or another node or network. A physical entity performs some control tasks for communication devices, including one or more of scheduling and configuration. It should be noted that the base station functionality and communication device functionality may be integrated within a single device. For example, a mobile terminal may also implement the base station functionality for other terminals. The term used in LTE is eNB (or eNodeB), while the term currently used in 5G NR is gNB.

[0039] 4 shows a general, simplified, exemplary block diagram of a user equipment (also referred to as a communication device) and a scheduling device (here exemplarily assumed to be located in a base station (e.g., an eLTE eNB (alternatively referred to as an ng-eNB) or a gNB in ​​5G NR). The UE and eNB / gNB communicate with each other via (radio) physical channels using their respective transceivers.

[0040] A communication device may include a transceiver and a processing circuit. The transceiver may include and / or function as a receiver and / or transmitter. The processing circuit may be one or more hardware components, such as one or more processors or any LSI. Input / output points (or input / output nodes) exist between the transceiver and the processing circuit, and the processing circuit may control the transceiver during operation, i.e., control the receiver and / or transmitter and exchange receive / transmit data, via the input / output points (or input / output nodes). The transceiver may include an RF (radio frequency) front end, including one or more antennas, amplifiers, RF modulators / demodulators, etc., as a transmitter and receiver. The processing circuit may perform control tasks, such as controlling the transceiver to transmit user data and control data provided by the processing circuit and / or to receive user data and control data that are further processed by the processing circuit. The processing circuit may also be responsible for performing other processes, such as judging, distinguishing, deciding, calculating, measuring, etc. The transmitter may be responsible for performing a transmitting process and other processes related to the transmitting process. The receiver may be responsible for performing the receiving process and other processes related to the receiving process, such as monitoring the channel.

[0041] The solutions provided below are described primarily in relation to 5G NR standardization for unlicensed operation (e.g., standalone or dual connectivity). Nevertheless, as already alluded to above, the present concepts, ideas, and improvements are not limited to 5G NR unlicensed standardization, but are equally applicable to 5G NR licensed operation, and equally applicable to unlicensed and / or licensed operation in LTE(-A) communication systems. Future communication systems may also benefit from the concepts disclosed in this application.

[0042] A first embodiment is described below in connection with FIGS.

[0043] Figure 5 shows a simplified exemplary UE configuration according to the present solution, which may be implemented based on the general UE configuration described above in connection with Figure 4. The various components of the UE shown in this figure may be interconnected with each other, e.g., using corresponding input / output nodes (not shown), for exchanging, e.g., control and user data and other signals. The UE may include further components, which are not shown for illustrative purposes.

[0044] As can be seen from this figure, the UE may include a power saving signal receiver, a power saving signal monitor circuit, a behavior determination circuit, and a setting selection circuit to participate in improved procedures for reducing UE power consumption as described below.

[0045] In this case, as will become apparent from the disclosure below, a processor (processing circuit) may be exemplarily configured to at least partially perform one or more of the steps of determining a UE behavior with respect to processing of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) by monitoring reception of a power saving signal (PoSS) from a serving base station to which the UE is camped, the PoSS including a behavior indication instructing the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, and the PoSS further including a configuration indication instructing at least one configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior. The processor determines to perform PDCCH monitoring if the first behavior is indicated and to skip PDCCH monitoring if the second behavior is indicated, and applies the at least one configuration parameter accordingly.

[0046] The receiver may be configured to at least partially perform one or more of the steps of receiving a power saving signal and receiving information regarding the threshold via system information or a configuration message (such as a configuration message of the RRC protocol).

[0047] FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram of the UE behavior according to this improved power saving procedure.

[0048] It is exemplarily assumed that the UE is in idle mode, but it is also possible that the UE is in connected mode. The radio cell on which the UE is currently camped is exemplarily referred to hereinafter as the serving radio cell controlled by the serving base station.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 6, the UE first receives the PoSS and confirms that it has been received correctly. Then, the UE determines the behavior instruction of the PoSS. Two possible behaviors may be indicated: the first behavior may include performing PDCCH monitoring, while the second behavior may include skipping PDCCH monitoring, thus saving energy. Depending on which behavior is indicated, the UE then evaluates the configuration instruction of the PoSS and accordingly performs PDCCH monitoring and applies one or more configuration parameters associated with the first behavior. Otherwise, the UE evaluates the configuration instruction of the DCI and skips PDCCH monitoring. In this case, the UE applies one or more configuration parameters associated with the second behavior.

[0050] The process may return to the step of checking whether a PoSS is detected.

[0051] FIG. 7 shows a sequence diagram of UE behavior according to another exemplary improved power saving procedure. In the first step, the UE must confirm that it is configured by the base station to monitor the power saving signal (PoSS). If not, the process returns to the startup procedure. On the other hand, if the UE is configured to monitor the PoSS, in the next step, the UE receives the PoSS and monitors reception of the PoSS, which may be in the form of a DCI according to an exemplary embodiment. If the PoSS is not detected, the UE performs a default behavior. In the exemplary embodiment, the default behavior is defined as the behavior when the PoSS is erroneously indicated by the UE. As such, the UE does not have a behavior indication from the PoSS DCI. Specifically, the flow diagram shows that if the PoSS is not detected, the UE may have two different possibilities for default behavior. If the UE is in a discontinuous reception (DRX) state that is on ("DRX_ON"), the UE only needs to perform normal PDCCH monitoring. Alternatively, the default behavior if the PoSS is not detected may be to not monitor the PDCCH during DRX_OFF.

[0052] When a PoSS is detected, the UE evaluates the behavior instruction included in the DCI of the PoSS. From this behavior instruction, the UE determines whether the instructed UE behavior is to skip PDCCH monitoring or to perform PDCCH monitoring. If the behavior instruction indicates that PDCCH monitoring should be performed, the configuration instruction of the DCI is evaluated, and the configuration parameters associated with the first behavior are applied. According to this embodiment, the first behavior includes monitoring the PDCCH and therefore does not provide an energy saving function.

[0053] On the other hand, if the behavior indication indicates that PDCCH monitoring should be skipped, evaluation of the configuration indication guides the UE to apply at least one configuration parameter associated with a second behavior, the second behavior being related to energy saving and specifically including skipping PDCCH monitoring.

[0054] The process may return to the step of checking whether a PoSS is detected.

[0055] 8 illustrates, in a timing diagram, a first behavior of a UE according to an exemplary embodiment. According to this embodiment, the UE monitors a power saving signal (PoSS), sometimes also referred to as a power saving channel, on configured resources.

[0056] As will be described in more detail later, the first behavior generally involves triggering the UE to start monitoring the PDCCH. If no trigger is detected, for example, the UE's default behavior may be to not receive and decode the PDCCH. This means that the base station may need to schedule the UE soon. To facilitate power savings, the interval between this indication and actual scheduling may be as short as possible. To this end, the UE needs to begin performing time / frequency tracking, automatic gain control (AGC) training, channel state information (CSI) / radio resource management (RRM) measurements and reporting, and sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission. In this way, the base station can acquire downlink / uplink (DL / UL) channel conditions in a timely manner and start scheduling soon. This can reduce the total UE active time, which can save power. To further save power, PDCCH monitoring can be reduced by further indication of a control resource set (CORESET), search space information, and / or a set of slots.

[0057] As shown schematically and exemplarily in Figure 8, after ramping up, the UE receives a synchronization signal block (SSB) burst, followed immediately by a PoSS indicating to start PDCCH monitoring. During the warm-up block, the UE receives reference signals (RS) for time and / or frequency tracking, automatic gain control (AGC), channel state information (CSI) reference resources, and radio resource management (RRM) reference resources. Additionally, CSI reporting resources and, finally, sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission resources are available to the UE.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 8, the UE remains active for the next two SSB bursts and then returns to the inactive state.

[0059] Unlike Figure 8, Figure 9 shows a timing diagram for when the UE receives a PoSS indicating that the UE should skip PDCCH monitoring. This is sometimes referred to as the second UE behavior in this disclosure. In this situation, after receiving the PoSS, the UE ramps down and remains inactive for an off period. Illustratively, the off period lasts for three or more SSB bursts.

[0060] Specifically, the PoSS may instruct the UE to skip PDCCH monitoring until a specified time point. If the PoSS is not detected, the default behavior of the UE may be to receive the PDCCH.

[0061] For the second behavior, no further time / frequency tracking, AGC training, CSI / RRM measurements / reports, or SRS transmissions are required. The UE may be instructed that it does not need to receive the PDCCH until the next semi-static DRX cycle or the next opportunity to receive the configured PoSS. Alternatively, the UE may be instructed that it does not need to receive the PDCCH in the next X slots (X may be dynamically instructed or semi-statically configured).

[0062] Furthermore, in addition to being instructed that it does not need to receive the PDCCH, the UE may also be instructed that it does not need to receive the PoSS until the next semi-static DRX cycle or the next opportunity to receive the configured PoSS, or the UE may be instructed that it does not need to receive the PoSS in the next X slots (X may be dynamically instructed or semi-statically configured).

[0063] In order to provide a PoSS that can instruct the UE on the first and second behaviors as needed, it is proposed to transmit a PoSS DCI to the UE that allows integrating the different functions of PDCCH monitor triggering and skipping into one DCI design.

[0064] Generally, one DCI is shared by the UE behavior instructions for both PDCCH monitoring and triggering. As a result, the UE only needs to decode one unified PoSS DCI to access further behavior instructions. Exemplarily, three concepts, which are described in more detail below, can be used for this purpose: First, detailed UE behavior instructions (i.e., configuration) are coded in a second field that can be based on interpretation of the first field. Second, the instructions to skip and trigger PDCCH monitoring and the configuration instructions may be jointly coded in only one common field. Third, the interpretation of the instructions to skip or trigger PDCCH monitoring is based on the detected Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI), while the configuration for the indicated behavior is coded in another field of the PoSS.

[0065] Furthermore, the PoSS DCI may be UE group specific or UE specific. In the UE group specific case, the way the bitmap is constructed may be similar to the existing NR DCI format_*. Each UE may illustratively be configured with an index to address its own indication in the DCI, so that the UE can determine which indication in the UE group specific PoSS is for it.

[0066] (Solution 1 - First and second fields) Next, a first exemplary solution for the PoSS DCI will be described with reference to Fig. 10. According to this solution, the DCI includes a first field and a second field.

[0067] The first field may contain, for example, one bit indicating to the UE whether it needs to perform PDCCH monitoring (first behavior) or skip PDCCH monitoring (second behavior). Depending on the indicated behavior, the UE processes the second field indicating a setting associated with the first behavior or the second behavior. The second field may be located directly following the respective first field and contains an identifier linked to a previously configured table.

[0068] According to one exemplary embodiment, the first field indicates, with respect to PDCCH monitoring, whether to perform PDCCH monitoring or not to perform PDCCH monitoring, where the default behavior of the UE is to not monitor the PDCCH. Alternatively, the first field indicates whether to skip monitoring the PDCCH, where the default behavior is to not skip monitoring the PDCCH.

[0069] According to the embodiment shown in Figure 10, a second field is provided in the DCI, which is interpreted depending on the indication of the first field. The second field contains a configuration instruction depending on the content of the first field. For example, if the first field indicates to perform PDCCH monitoring, the UE interprets the second field to indicate at least one configuration related to how to monitor the PDCCH, such as one or a combination of the following: Channel State Information (CSI) reference resources Radio Resource Management (RRM) reference resources CSI Reporting Resources RRM reporting resources Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) transmission resources Pseudo-colocation of CSI / RRM reference resources Quasi-colocation of CSI reporting resources, RRM reporting resources, and / or SRS transmission resources Control resource set (CORESET) information Search space information Set of slots for PDCCH monitoring Skipping PoSS monitoring within certain time or frequency resources, i.e., for example, once the UE is instructed by the PoSS to start monitoring the PDCCH, subsequent PoSS monitoring may be skipped or partially skipped. Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) resource parameter indication

[0070] For example, these configuration parameters may be included in a first table associated with the first behavior.

[0071] On the other hand, if the first field indicates not to monitor the PDCCH, the UE interprets the second field to configure how to skip monitoring of the PDCCH, e.g., if the first field indicates to skip PDCCH monitoring, to indicate the next configuration, i.e., at least one or a combination of skipping PDCCH monitoring and / or skipping PoSS monitoring, until the next quasi-static DRX cycle, or until the next opportunity of the configured power saving signal / channel, or in the next X slots (X is dynamically indicated or quasi-statically configured).

[0072] These configuration parameters may be included in a second table associated with the second behavior.

[0073] For both types of indication, the combination of behavior and / or configuration parameters may be configured by Radio Resource Control (RRC).

[0074] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, this improvement may be implemented using a UE group-specific PoSS DCI. Here, the DCI includes a bitmap pattern with a first field and a second field in each bitmap for each UE of a group of UEs (e.g., UE #1, UE #2, and UE #3). Three UEs are exemplarily shown in Figure 11. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, four or more UEs may of course be addressed by this PoSS DCI. As mentioned above, the gNB and the UE may exchange index values ​​for this group-specific PoSS DCI to enable the UE to determine which one of various sets of first and second fields is intended for the UE.

[0075] (Solution 2 - Join field) Next, a second exemplary solution for PoSS DCI will be described with reference to FIG.

[0076] According to this solution, the PoSS DCI contains a combined field for behavior indication and setting indication for either the first behavior or the second behavior.

[0077] As shown in Figure 12, the PoSS DCI includes a common field that jointly encodes skip, trigger, and related configuration parameter information according to the required UE behavior. For example, a bitmap for a UE may include a 3-bit word representing an index into a configuration table. Table 1 below shows an example of such a joint configuration table. [Table 2]

[0078] The entries in Table 1 may be configured, for example, by the RRC. As mentioned above, each bitmap in the common field selects one row and therefore one set of configuration parameters and behavior (column "PDCCH Monitor" is TRUE or FALSE).

[0079] There may be an imbalance in the number of configuration parameters applicable to performing PDCCH monitoring and those relevant for skipping PDCCH monitoring, as shown in Table 1. Overall, the joint coding in the common field shown in Figure 12 allows for a reduction in overhead, e.g. compared to Solution 1 described above.

[0080] This improvement may be implemented using a UE group-specific PoSS DCI. According to Figure 13, the PoSS DCI includes a bitmap pattern with a combined field for each UE of a group of UEs (e.g., UE#1, UE#2, and UE#3). Three UEs are exemplarily shown in Figure 13. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, only one UE or four or more UEs may of course be addressed by this PoSS DCI.

[0081] As shown in Figure 13, the PoSS DCI includes a bitmap for each UE in a group that jointly encodes skip, trigger, and related configuration parameter information according to the required UE behavior. For example, the bitmap for each UE may include a 3-bit word representing an index into a configuration table. Table 1 shows an example of such a joint configuration table.

[0082] (Solution 3 - Using RNTI and PoSS DCI fields) A third exemplary solution for the PoSS DCI will now be described with reference to Fig. 14. According to this solution, the DCI comprises a field containing an indication indicating configuration in case of a first behavior or a field containing an indication indicating configuration in case of a second behavior. Furthermore, according to the third embodiment, different RNTIs are used to address a particular UE and to indicate the intended behavior.

[0083] For example, depending on whether PDCCH monitoring is performed or skipped, different RNTIs are used to mask the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value of the PoSS DCI.

[0084] As shown in Figure 14, within the DCI of the detected PoSS, the CRC is transmitted along with a field containing an indication of at least one specific configuration parameter associated with either the first behavior or the second behavior. The field may, for example, contain 3 bits.

[0085] For example, if the CRC descrambling check indicates an RNTI associated with skipping PDCCH monitoring, the UE interprets the indication field in the PoSS DCI as an indication of a configuration parameter related to skipping PDCCH monitoring, e.g., how long the UE can stay in sleep mode.

[0086] On the other hand, if the CRC descrambling check indicates an RNTI associated with performing PDCCH monitoring, the UE interprets the indication in the PoSS DCI as indicating a configuration associated with the first behavior. For example, the UE accesses a table such as Table 2 shown below to obtain a set of configuration parameters, knows the destinations for CSI reporting and SRS transmission, and then starts PDCCH monitoring. Updates can also be performed. [Table 3]

[0087] The configuration entries for the trigger or skip indication may be configured, for example, by the RRC, together with specific first and second RNTIs associated with the first and second behaviors, respectively.

[0088] As shown in Figure 15, this improvement may be implemented using a UE group-specific PoSS DCI. According to this embodiment, the DCI includes a bitmap pattern with a field in each bitmap for each UE of a group of UEs (e.g., UE#1, UE#2, and UE#3). Three UEs are exemplarily shown in Figure 15. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, only one UE or four or more UEs may of course be addressed by this PoSS DCI. Furthermore, according to the third embodiment, different RNTIs are used to address specific UEs and indicate the intended behavior.

[0089] Each UE in each group accesses the appropriate field according to the sequence position of this field in the complete bitmap pattern based on the previously defined index.

[0090] (Further Aspects) According to a first aspect, there is provided a user equipment (UE), comprising: a receiver unit that, during operation, receives a power saving signal (PoSS) from a serving base station to which the UE is camped; and a UE-side processing circuit that, during operation, monitors reception of the PoSS to determine a UE behavior with respect to processing of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), wherein the PoSS includes a behavior indication instructing the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, and the PoSS further includes a configuration indication indicating at least one configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior, and wherein the processing circuit, during operation, determines to perform PDCCH monitoring if the first behavior is indicated and to skip PDCCH monitoring if the second behavior is indicated, and applies the at least one configuration parameter accordingly.

[0091] According to a second aspect provided in addition to the first aspect, when the first field indicates that PDCCH monitoring is performed, the at least one configuration parameter is: a channel state information (CSI) reference resource; Radio Resource Management (RRM) reference resources; CSI reporting resources and RRM reporting resources; Sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission resources; Quasi-colocation of CSI / RRM reference resources; Quasi-colocation of CSI reporting resources, RRM reporting resources, and / or SRS transmission resources; Control resource set (CORESET) information; Search space information; a set of slots for PDCCH monitoring; PoSS monitor skip and Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) resource parameter indication; and The present invention includes at least one or a combination of the following:

[0092] According to a third aspect provided in addition to the first or second aspect, if the first field indicates to skip PDCCH monitoring, the at least one configuration parameter includes one of skipping PDCCH monitoring and / or skipping PoSS monitoring until the next quasi-static DRX cycle, or until the next opportunity for a configured power saving signal / channel, or in the next X slots (X is dynamically indicated or quasi-statically configured).

[0093] According to a fourth aspect provided in addition to any of the first to third aspects, the UE, during operation, selects at least one configuration parameter from a configuration table, and optionally the configuration table is configured by a radio resource control (RRC).

[0094] According to a fifth aspect provided in addition to any of the first to fourth aspects, the PoSS received by the UE includes behavior instructions and / or configuration instructions for a group of UEs.

[0095] According to a sixth aspect provided in addition to any of the first to fifth aspects, the PoSS is received as downlink control information (DCI), the DCI including at least one first field for behavior instruction, the first field including a value indicating a first behavior or a second behavior, and the DCI including at least one second field for configuration instruction, the second field including a value that is interpreted as indicating at least one configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior depending on the value of the first field.

[0096] According to a seventh aspect provided in addition to the sixth aspect, the first field instructs the UE to start PDCCH monitoring or not to start PDCCH monitoring, and the default behavior is to not start PDCCH monitoring, or the first field instructs the UE to skip PDCCH monitoring or not to skip PDCCH monitoring, and the default behavior is to not skip PDCCH monitoring.

[0097] According to an eighth aspect provided in addition to the first to fifth aspects, the PoSS is received as downlink control information (DCI), and the behavior instruction and the configuration instruction are jointly coded in a common field of the DCI.

[0098] According to a ninth aspect provided in addition to the eighth and fourth aspects, the content of the common field includes a bitmap used by the UE to select at least one configuration parameter, and the configuration table includes behavior instructions and configuration instructions.

[0099] According to a tenth aspect provided in addition to the first to fifth aspects, the PoSS is received as downlink control information (DCI), and the behavior instruction is encoded as a first or second Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) that masks a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value of the DCI, the RNTI identifying the UE and instructing the first or second behavior.

[0100] According to an eleventh aspect provided in addition to the tenth and fourth aspects, the DCI includes at least one bitmap used by the UE to select at least one configuration parameter from a configuration table.

[0101] According to a twelfth aspect, there is provided a method comprising the following steps performed by a user equipment (UE): receiving a power saving signal (PoSS) from a serving base station to which the UE is camped; and monitoring reception of the PoSS to determine a UE behavior with respect to processing a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), wherein the PoSS includes a behavior indication instructing the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, and the PoSS further includes a configuration indication instructing at least one configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior, and wherein a processing circuit determines to perform PDCCH monitoring if the first behavior is indicated or to skip PDCCH monitoring if the second behavior is indicated, and applies the at least one configuration parameter accordingly.

[0102] According to a thirteenth aspect, there is provided a base station (BS), comprising: a transmitter unit which, during operation, transmits a power saving signal (PoSS) to at least one user equipment (UE) camped on the BS; and a BS-side processing circuit which, during operation, generates a PoSS, wherein the PoSS includes a behavior instruction instructing the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, and the PoSS further includes a configuration instruction instructing at least one configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior, and the PoSS is generated to cause the UE to perform PDCCH monitoring if the first behavior is indicated, and to skip PDCCH monitoring if the second behavior is indicated and to apply the at least one configuration parameter accordingly.

[0103] According to a fourteenth aspect provided in addition to the thirteenth aspect, the processing circuitry, during operation, combines PoSS for a group of UEs into a combined bitmap pattern.

[0104] According to a fifteenth aspect provided in addition to the thirteenth or fourteenth aspect, the PoSS is transmitted as downlink control information (DCI); the DCI comprises at least one first field for a behavior instruction, the first field comprising a value indicative of a first behavior or a second behavior, the DCI comprises at least one second field for a configuration instruction, the second field comprising a value that is interpreted as indicative of at least one configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior depending on the value of the first field, or The behavior instruction and the configuration instruction are jointly coded in a common field of the DCI, or The behavior indication is encoded as a first or second Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) that masks a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value of the DCI, where the RNTI identifies the UE and indicates the first or second behavior.

[0105] (Hardware and software implementation of the present disclosure) The present disclosure can be realized by software, hardware, or software cooperating with hardware. Each functional block used in the above-described embodiments can be realized, in part or in whole, by an LSI such as an integrated circuit. Each process described in each embodiment can be controlled, in part or in whole, by the same LSI or a combination of LSIs. The LSI can be formed as an individual chip, or a single chip can be formed to include some or all of the functional blocks. The LSI can include a data input / output unit coupled thereto. Herein, LSIs are sometimes referred to as ICs (integrated circuits), system LSIs, super LSIs, or ultra LSIs depending on their level of integration. However, integrated circuits are not limited to LSIs and can be realized using dedicated circuits, general-purpose processors, or dedicated processors. Furthermore, FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays), which can be programmed after LSI fabrication, and reconfigurable processors, which can reconfigure the connections and settings of circuit cells arranged within LSIs, can also be used. The present disclosure can be realized using digital or analog processing. When LSI is replaced by future integrated circuit technology as a result of advances in semiconductor technology or other derivative technologies, the future integrated circuit technology can be used to integrate functional blocks. Biotechnology can also be applied.

[0106] The present disclosure may be implemented by any type of apparatus, device, or system with communication capabilities (collectively referred to as communication apparatus).

[0107] Non-limiting examples of communication devices include telephones (e.g., cell phones, smartphones), tablets, personal computers (PCs) (e.g., laptops, desktops, netbooks), cameras (e.g., digital still / video cameras), digital players (e.g., digital audio / video players), wearable devices (e.g., wearable cameras, smartwatches, tracking devices), game consoles, digital book readers, telehealth / telemedicine devices, communication-enabled vehicles (e.g., cars, airplanes, ships), and combinations of the above devices.

[0108] Communications equipment is not limited to portable or mobile equipment, but also includes non-portable or fixed equipment, devices, or systems of any kind, such as smart home devices (appliances, lighting, smart meters, control panels, etc.), vending machines, and any other "things" that may exist on an Internet of Things (IoT) network.

[0109] Communications include data communications via cellular systems, wireless LAN systems, communications satellite systems, etc., as well as data communications via combinations of these.

[0110] A communications apparatus also includes devices such as controllers and sensors connected or coupled to a communications device that performs the communications functions described in this disclosure. For example, a communications apparatus may include a controller or sensor that generates control or data signals used by the communications device to perform the communications functions of the communications apparatus.

[0111] The communication apparatus also includes infrastructure facilities, such as base stations, access points, and any other apparatus, device, or system that communicates with or controls the various apparatuses listed above, but are not limited to these.

[0112] Furthermore, the various embodiments may be realized by means of software modules which are executed by a processor or directly in hardware. Software modules and hardware implementations may also be combined. The software modules may be stored on any kind of computer-readable storage medium, such as RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, registers, hard disks, CD-ROM, DVD, etc. It should be noted further that individual features of the different embodiments may also be the subject of another embodiment, either individually or in any combination.

[0113] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous variations and / or modifications can be made to the present disclosure as set forth in the specific embodiments, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit for controlling a base station (BS), the integrated circuit comprising: a transmitter circuit for transmitting a power saving signal (PoSS) to at least one user equipment (UE) camped on the BS; a processing circuit for generating the PoSS; Equipped with The PoSS includes a behavior instruction instructing the UE to follow a first behavior or a second behavior, and the PoSS further includes a configuration instruction instructing at least one configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior; The PoSS is generated to cause the UE to perform PDCCH monitoring when the first behavior is indicated, and to skip PDCCH monitoring when the second behavior is indicated, and to apply the at least one configuration parameter; The PoSS is transmitted as Downlink Control Information (DCI); The behavior instruction and the configuration instruction are jointly coded in a common field of the DCI, the jointly coded behavior instruction is to skip monitoring a PDCCH, and the configuration instruction is an instruction regarding channel state information (CSI). Integrated circuit.

2. the processing circuitry combines the PoSS for a group of UEs into a combined bitmap pattern.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 1.

3. the DCI comprises at least one first field for the behavior indication, the first field comprising a value indicating the first behavior or the second behavior, and the DCI comprises at least one second field for the configuration indication, the second field comprising a value that is interpreted as indicating the at least one configuration parameter associated with the first behavior or the second behavior depending on the value of the first field; or the behavior indication and the configuration indication are jointly coded in a common field of the DCI; or the behavior indication is encoded as a first or second Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) that masks a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value of the DCI, the RNTI identifying the UE and indicating the first behavior or the second behavior; 10. The integrated circuit of claim 1.

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